Shoulder support for garment hangers

ABSTRACT

A garment retention system includes a garment hanger having a body, a hook extending from the body for suspending the hanger from a support, first and second arms extending laterally from the body to respective first and second distal ends. At least one arm has an attachment retention surface with a surface normal directed generally towards the body and in a generally opposite direction from the distal end of that. A garment retention attachment extends between the attachment retention surface and the distal end of the at least one arm. The garment retention attachment includes a first means for engaging the attachment retention surface, and a second means for engaging the distal end of the at least one arm. The garment retention system is enhanced by providing the garment retention attachment with friction-increasing surface features on an upwardly facing side of thereof, and/or by judicious selection of material for the garment retention attachment.

CROSS REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATIONS

Under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), this application claims priority of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/775,316 filed Feb. 21, 2006,entitled Shoulder Support for Hangers, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of garments andmore particularly to a hanger for suspending a garment top duringhandling, transport, and for display on a retail sales floor.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

In the area of retail garment sales, so-called Garment-On-Hanger (GOH)programs have become preferred to retailers. In a GOH program, garmentsare suspended from hangers by the manufacturer at the manufacturingsite, and are shipped as such to retail merchants. Whereupon arrival atthe retail location, the garments may immediately be placed on displayfor sale. Formerly, retailers accomplished the task of hanging garmentsfrom hangers with labor provided at their own expense.

At least one drawback of the GOH program is the fact that garments maybecome inadvertently dislodged from their respective hangers duringhandling, transport, shipment or display. Such dislodged garmentsnaturally fall to the floor, ground, or bottom of their shippingcontainer, and may become soiled, damaged, or otherwise unfit for sale.Therefore, a hanger that securely retains the garment suspendedtherefrom is desirable.

Towards this end, and particularly with respect to a hanger for agarment top, e.g., shirt, blouse, sweater, jacket, coat, or the like,certain hangers have been proposed that have integrated features toimprove retention of the garment. This is particularly demanding whendealing with inherently heavier garments, for example a knitwearsweater. One such hanger is disclosed in United States PatentApplication Publication US 2005/0139625, published 30 Jun. 2005,entitled “Knitwear Hanger”, filed 12 Nov. 2004 under Ser. No. 10/987,716by the present inventor and commonly assigned with the presentapplication. The complete disclosure of the foregoing application ishereby incorporated by its reference for all purposes.

On the other hand, hangers such as the Knitwear Hanger must bemanufactured with their defining features in order to be effective. Itwould be advantageous to have a system for improving the retention ofgarments on hangers where the great number of hangers without adequateprovisions for garment retention may be retrofitted to improve theircharacteristics. Moreover it would advantageous to have a system forimproving the retention characteristics of garments on hangers where thecomponents of such system are inexpensive and simple to manufacture,handle, and assemble.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, in order to overcome these and other deficiencies in theprior art, provided according to the present invention is a garmentretention system including a garment hanger having a body, a hookextending from the body for suspending the hanger from a support, firstand second arms extending laterally from the body to respective firstand second distal ends. At least one arm has an attachment retentionsurface with a surface normal directed generally towards the body and ina generally opposite direction from the distal end of the at least onearm. A garment retention attachment extends between the attachmentretention surface and the distal end of the at least one arm. Thegarment retention attachment includes a first means for engaging theattachment retention surface, and a second means for engaging the distalend of the at least one arm.

The garment retention system is enhanced by providing the garmentretention attachment with friction-increasing surface features on anupwardly facing side of thereof. The friction-increasing surfacefeatures may include either recesses in or raised structure on theupwardly facing side of the garment retention attachment. Thefriction-increasing surface features may be ribs, ridges, or dimples andarranged any of transverse, longitudinal, diagonal, echelon, chevron,herringbone or dimple patterns, at regular, semi-regular or randomspacing. The garment retention attachment may also include a lowerflange extending downward from the attachment along either or bothlateral edges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, benefits and advantages of the presentinvention will be made apparent with reference to the following detaileddescription and accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numeralsrefer to like structures across the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation view of a garment retention systemaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of an attachment portion of thegarment retention system according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the attachment portiontaken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a front elevation view of a garment retention systemaccording to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, illustrated is a front plan view of a garmentretention system, generally 10, according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention. Retention system 10 includes at least a garmenthanger 20 and an attachment portion 40. Garment hanger 20 may be aconventional hanger for garment tops, including at least a hook 22 forsuspending the hanger 20 from a support, and a body 24 having two arms26, 28 laterally extending away from the body 24 to respective distalends 27, 29. Arms 26, 28 may be sloped downward from the body, enhancingthe need for improved retention characteristics, though this is notnecessary to the present invention.

Each of arms 26, 28 includes a recess 30 in an upwardly facing surface,and may include some overhang 32 at least partly covering the recess 30,and extending proximally towards the body 24 from a distal side of therecess 30. More generally, each arm 26, 28 presents an attachmentretention surface 34 having a surface normal 36, i.e., a vectorextending perpendicularly from that surface, which is oriented generallyin the direction of the body 24 and in an opposite direction from arespective distal end 27, 29. In the preferred embodiment, the surface34 is a wall of recess 30 to avoid any projections above the uppersurface of arms 26, 28. A garment hanger 20 generally as above describedis known in the art, for example from U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 507,419,issued 19 Jul. 2005 to the present inventor and commonly assigned withthe present application, the entire disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by its reference for all purposes.

However, if applicable, for example for hanging a garment top having aparticularly wide neck, or of a material of the garment top being hungis such that an upward projection would not pose a problem, and where norecess 30 is provided in the arms 26, 28 of hanger 20, the attachmentretention surface 34 can be formed by an upward projection 62 (See, FIG.4) from the upper surface of the arms 26, 28. Such an upward projection62 may include a portion 64 extending in the direction of the body 24,preferably from the upper extent of the upward projection 62, in asimilar fashion as overhang 32, or alternately from anywhere associatedwith the upward projection 62.

In the exemplary embodiment hook 22 includes an upward flange 37 havinga retention clip 38 to receive and retain a top-mounted indicator (notshown). However, other indicator configurations, e.g., side indicators,lower neck indicators, or no indicator at all, may be employed.

Referring now to FIG. 2, illustrated is a plan view of the attachmentportion 40, detached from the hanger 20 and extended to a is fulllength. The attachment 40 includes a through opening 42 at one endthereof for engaging the retention surface 34 of the hanger 20. At anopposite end of the attachment 40 a second through opening 44 is sizedto admit at least a portion of the distal end 27, 29 of the hanger arms26, 28 for engaging the distal end 27, 29. The attachment 40 ispreferably formed with a material having at least some elasticity, andis stretched between the retention surface 34 and the distal end 27, 29.

As is typical in the industry, garment hanger 20 may be formed of aninjection molded plastic, more commonly a rigid plastic such aspolystyrene, SAN, ABS, PPO, nylon, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene,PET, polycarbonates (PC), acrylics, K resin, and polyvinyl chloride(PVC) among others. Such rigid plastic materials present relativelylow-friction surfaces unless specifically molded to enhance friction.Therefore, where, as in a preferred embodiment, the attachment 40comprises a material having some degree of elasticity, for exampleethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), low density polyethylene, PVC,thermoplastic elastomer, or thermoplastic rubber (for example thematerial sold under the trade name KRATON), the elastic material of theattachment 40 presents a higher coefficient of friction than the basehanger 20. This higher friction material of itself improves theretention characteristics of the garment hanger 20.

Alternately or additionally, attachment portion 40 can include surfacefeatures 46 on an upwardly facing side to further enhance the frictionof the attachment 40. In the embodiment shown, raised ribs 48 eitherpartly or completely traverse the width of the attachment 40.Additionally, ridges 50 run the length of the attachment 40 along eitherlateral edge thereof. In alternate embodiments, surface features 46 maycomprise recesses in place of or in addition to the raised structure ofthe exemplary embodiment. The surface features 46 may be arranged as anygeometric shape or configuration desired, including without limitationtransverse, longitudinal, diagonal, echelon, chevron, herringbone ordimple patterns, arranged with regular, semi-regular or random spacing.

In the exemplary embodiment, the attachment 40 has as an optionalfeature a first width 52 at it distal portion wider than a second width54 at its proximal portion, to accommodate hangers 20 that are similarlyshaped. Referring now to the longitudinal cross-section view of FIG. 3,the attachment 40 also has as an optional feature a lower flange 56extending downward from the attachment 40 along either or both lateraledges. Where present, the lower flange resists lateral displacement ofthe attachment 40 from the arm 26, 28 of the hanger 20.

Preferably, flanges 56 extend from both lateral edges of the attachment40, to form a channel 58 in an underside of the attachment 40. Channel58 receives the lateral arm 26, 28 within itself and more preferablycenters the attachment 40 on the lateral arm 26, 28. Accordingly, theattachment is stably attached to the lateral arm 26, 28 and resistsrelative movement.

In an alternate embodiment of the garment retention attachment 40 a,illustrated for example in FIG. 4, either or both of through openings42, 44 may be obviated by a lip 41 extending downwardly and optionallytowards the center of the attachment 40 a, thereby forming a pocket 43at a respective end of the attachment 40 a. The pocket 43 is sized andpositioned for engaging the retention surface 34 at a proximal end, orfor engaging the distal ends 27, 29 at a distal end, in order to securethe attachment 40 a to the hanger 20.

The present invention has been described herein with reference tocertain exemplary embodiments. Various alterations and/or modificationswill be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the presentdisclosure. Therefore, these embodiments are offered as merelyillustrative, and not limiting, of the scope of the present invention,which is defined solely with reference to the appended claims.

1. A garment retention system comprising: a garment hanger having abody, a hook extending from the body for suspending the hanger from asupport, first and second arms extending laterally from the body torespective first and second distal ends, at least one arm having anattachment retention surface with a surface normal directed generallytowards the body and in a generally opposite direction from the first orsecond distal end of the at least one arm; and a garment retentionattachment extending between the attachment retention surface and thedistal end of the at least one arm, having a first through opening forengaging the attachment retention surface, a second through openingsized to admit at least a portion of the distal end of the at least onearm, and a channel formed in an underside of the attachment forreceiving the at least one arm.
 2. The garment retention systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the garment hanger further comprises arecess in the at least one arm, and the attachment retention surfacecomprises a distal wall of the recess.
 3. The garment retention systemaccording to claim 2, wherein the at least one arm further comprises anoverhang at least partly covering the recess and extending proximallytowards the body.
 4. The garment retention system according to claim 3,wherein overhang in contiguous with the upper surface of the at leastone arm, and is positioned at an upper extent of the attachmentretention surface.
 5. The garment retention system according to claim 1,wherein the attachment retention surface is formed by an upwardprojection from the upper surface of the at least one arm.
 6. Thegarment retention system according to claim 5, wherein the upwardprojection further comprises a portion extending in the direction of thebody.
 7. The garment retention system according to claim 6, wherein theportion extending in the direction of the body is positioned at an upperextent of the upward projection.
 8. The garment retention systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the garment hanger comprises an injectionmolded plastic selected from one or more of polystyrene, SAN, ABS, PPO,nylon, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene, PET, polycarbonates (PC),acrylics, K resin, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
 9. The garmentretention system according to claim 1, wherein the garment retentionattachment comprises a material selected from one or more of ethylenevinyl acetate (EVA), low density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC),a thermoplastic elastomer, and a thermoplastic rubber.
 10. The garmentretention system according to claim 1, wherein the garment retentionattachment comprises friction-increasing surface features on an upwardlyfacing side of the garment retention attachment.
 11. The garmentretention system according to claim 10, wherein the friction-increasingsurface features comprise one or more of recesses in and raisedstructure on the upwardly facing side of the garment retentionattachment.
 12. The garment retention system according to claim 10,wherein the friction-increasing surface features comprise one or more ofribs, ridges, or dimples on the upwardly facing side of the garmentretention attachment.
 13. The garment retention system according toclaim 10, wherein the friction-increasing surface features are arrangedin one or more of a transverse, longitudinal, diagonal, echelon,chevron, herringbone and dimple pattern.
 14. The garment retentionsystem according to claim 10, wherein the friction-increasing surfacefeatures are arranged with regular, semi-regular or random spacing. 15.The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein the garmentretention attachment further comprises a lower flange extending downwardfrom the attachment along at least one lateral edge of the garmentretention attachment.
 16. The garment retention system according toclaim 15, wherein the lower flange extending downward from theattachment along at least one lateral edge of the garment retentionattachment comprises two lower flanges extending downward from theattachment along each lateral edge of the garment retention attachment,the two lower flanges defining the channel formed in the underside ofthe attachment.
 17. The garment retention system according to claim 1,wherein garment retention attachment further comprises a reinforcinggrommet for either or both of the first and second through openings. 18.The garment retention system according to claim 17, wherein at least oneof the reinforcing grommets is integrally molded with the garmentretention attachment from the same material as the garment retentionattachment.
 19. The garment retention system according to claim 1,wherein width of the garment retention attachment varies along itlength.
 20. The garment retention system according to claim 1, whereinthe at least one arm comprises the first and second arms.
 21. A garmentretention system comprising: a garment hanger having a body, a hookextending from the body for suspending the hanger from a support, firstand second arms extending laterally from the body to respective firstand second distal ends, at least one arm having an attachment retentionsurface with a surface normal directed generally towards the body and ina generally opposite direction from the first or second distal end ofthe at least one arm; a garment retention attachment extending betweenthe attachment retention surface and the distal end of the at least onearm, having a first pocket on an underside of the proximal portion ofthe garment retention attachment for engaging the attachment retentionsurface, a second pocket on the underside of the distal portion of thegarment retention attachment for engaging the distal end of the at leastone arm, and a channel formed in an underside of the attachment forreceiving the at least one arm.
 22. The garment retention systemaccording to claim 21, wherein the garment retention attachmentcomprises a material selected from one or more of ethylene vinyl acetate(EVA), low density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), athermoplastic elastomer, and a thermoplastic rubber.
 23. The garmentretention system according to claim 21, wherein the garment retentionattachment comprises friction-increasing surface features on an upwardlyfacing side of the garment retention attachment.
 24. The garmentretention system according to claim 23, wherein the friction-increasingsurface features comprise one or more of recesses in and raisedstructure on the upwardly facing side of the garment retentionattachment.
 25. The garment retention system according to claim 23,wherein the friction-increasing surface features comprise one or more ofribs, ridges, or dimples on the upwardly facing side of the garmentretention attachment.
 26. The garment retention system according toclaim 23, wherein the friction-increasing surface features are arrangedin one or more of a transverse, longitudinal, diagonal, echelon,chevron, herringbone and dimple pattern.
 27. The garment retentionsystem according to claim 23, wherein the friction-increasing surfacefeatures are arranged with regular, semi-regular or random spacing. 28.The garment retention system according to claim 21, wherein garmentretention attachment further comprises a lower flange extending downwardfrom the attachment along at least one lateral edge of the garmentretention attachment.
 29. The garment retention system according toclaim 28, wherein the lower flange extending downward from theattachment along at least one lateral edge of the garment retentionattachment comprises two lower flanges extending downward from theattachment along each lateral edge of the garment retention attachment,the two lower flanges defining the channel formed in the underside ofthe attachment.
 30. The garment retention system according to claim 21,wherein width of the garment retention attachment varies along itlength.
 31. A garment retention system comprising: a garment hangerhaving a body, a hook extending from the body for suspending the hangerfrom a support, first and second arms extending laterally from the bodyto respective first and second distal ends, at least one arm havingmeans for retaining a garment retention attachment; a garment retentionattachment extending between the means for retaining a garment retentionattachment and a distal end of the at least one arm, having a firstmeans for engaging the means for retaining a garment retentionattachment, a second means for engaging the distal end of the at leastone arm, and means for receiving the at least one arm in an underside ofthe attachment.
 32. The garment retention system according to claim 31,wherein the garment hanger further comprises a recess in the at leastone arm, and the means for retaining a garment retention attachmentcomprises a distal wall of the recess.
 33. The garment retention systemaccording to claim 32, wherein the at least one arm further comprises anoverhang at least partly covering the recess and extending proximallytowards the body.
 34. The garment retention system according to claim33, wherein overhang in contiguous with the upper surface of the atleast one arm, and is positioned at an upper extent of the attachmentretention surface.
 35. The garment retention system according to claim31, wherein the means for retaining a garment retention attachmentcomprises an upward projection from the upper surface of the at leastone arm.
 36. The garment retention system according to claim 31, whereinthe means for retaining a garment retention attachment comprises anelement extending in the direction of the body.
 37. The garmentretention system according to claim 36, wherein the element extending inthe direction of the body is positioned at an upper extent of an upwardprojection.
 38. The garment retention system according to claim 31,wherein the garment hanger comprises an injection molded plasticselected from one or more of polystyrene, SAN, ABS, PPO, nylon,polypropylene (PP), polyethylene, PET, polycarbonates (PC), acrylics, Kresin, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
 39. The garment retention systemaccording to claim 31, wherein the garment retention attachmentcomprises a material selected from one or more of ethylene vinyl acetate(EVA), low density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), athermoplastic elastomer, and a thermoplastic rubber.
 40. The garmentretention system according to claim 31, wherein the garment retentionattachment comprises means for increasing surface friction on anupwardly facing side of the garment retention attachment.
 41. Thegarment retention system according to claim 40, wherein the means forincreasing surface friction comprise one or more of recesses in andraised structure on the upwardly facing side of the garment retentionattachment.
 42. The garment retention system according to claim 40,wherein the means for increasing surface friction comprise one or moreof ribs, ridges, or dimples on the upwardly facing side of the garmentretention attachment.
 43. The garment retention system according toclaim 40, wherein the means for increasing surface friction are arrangedin one or more of a transverse, longitudinal, diagonal, echelon,chevron, herringbone and dimple pattern.
 44. The garment retentionsystem according to claim 40, wherein the means for increasing surfacefriction are arranged with regular, semi-regular or random spacing. 45.The garment retention system according to claim 31, wherein garmentretention attachment further comprises a means for resisting lateraldisplacement of the garment retention attachment.
 46. A garmentretention attachment for use on a garment hanger, the garment retentionattachment having a first means for engaging the garment hanger at adiscontinuity along the length of an arm of the garment hanger, a secondmeans for engaging the distal end of the arm of the garment hanger, andmeans for receiving an arm of the garment hanger in an underside of theattachment.
 47. The garment retention attachment according to claim 46,wherein the means for receiving an arm of the garment hanger in anunderside of the attachment comprises a lower flange extending downwardfrom the attachment along two lateral edges of the garment retentionattachment, the two lower flanges forming a channel therebetween.